Even The Buskers Are Going Corporate These Days

noah | October 30, 2009 4:00 pm
Jerk-pandering cologne adopts a similar ethic when it comes to paying its ad campaign’s participants, film at 11: “To introduce a leather-scented deodorant called Axe Instinct, Axe sought out about 20 street musicians and college bands in several cities, using Craigslist, MySpace and other Web sites. In exchange for an estimated $1,000, Axe asked the musicians to put up ‘Axe Instinct’ signs, offer free deodorant samples when they play and, a few times a day, sing a ditty ‘Look Good in Leather’ that Axe is using in its commercials. The musicians’ stints started in September and run through the end of the year.” Wait… only a thousand dollars? Some of the targeted street musicians play Penn Station, and probably have at least as many people pass them by in a typical 15-minute rush hour spam! Is it selling out if you grossly undervalue your worth? (I hope that Cody ChestnuTT, whose song is being used in the ad, at least made more bank than that…) [NYT]